Page 24 of Don't Lie To Me

“Fucking Alex,” I snap. He must have known something about this, it’s why he let him into my party.

“Alex wasn’t privy to this information, none of the Moretti brothers were. Enzo did a real number on the family and all ties were severed with Italy. If you want anyone to blame, you need to look closer to home.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you wonder why your beloved brothers let me get close enough to go off with you at your party?”

I had wondered why after years of their overprotectiveness they let this one slide. But I didn’t consider what it really meant. I had just hoped all my years of persistent nagging at them to trust me to take care of myself had finally paid off. Turns out they would have been right anyway. Romeo was just trying to use me. And I fell straight into his trap.

My heart races like crazy as I try to consider what to do. My body tells me to run, but my brain says I have to stay and fight for what is mine. My head spins, and I take hold of the table for support. My eyes are all splotchy, and I feel like I’m about to go down again like I did earlier today.

Strong hands come to my arms, stabilizing me. “You need to sit down; I’ll get you some water.” Romeo’s voice comes over me like a warm blanket. He actually sounds like he gives a shit, and for a second, I let my mind drift back to last night, the man I thought he was, so sweet and caring. But it was all a lie.

I suck in deep breaths and find my balance, taking a step away from him. I don’t want his treacherous hands on me.

Before I know it, Onyx appears silently by my side. His dark eyes, intense and questioning, bore into mine, asking if I’m alright before he glares at Romeo to back the hell off.

Romeo watches us together. “I have this under control,” he tells Onyx, his tone unimpressed.

I shake my head in Onyx’s direction, a wave of dizziness washing over me. Onyx wraps an arm around my waist, his touch warm and reassuring, protectively shielding me from the truth I can’t tolerate.

“You will hear from my lawyer,” I throw over my shoulder at Romeo as I let Onyx guide me out of the restaurant and toward my Porshe. Once I’m safely inside, he slams the car into drive, the engine roaring as we speed up the road. My hands shake uncontrollably as I stare down at them, a cold sweat slicking my palms. Everything I worked so fucking hard for and he’s going to own it. All because of my fucking stupid sperm donor.

“Whatthefuckdidyou know about all of this?” I yell at the top of my lungs as I stride into the apartment I share with Jagger, my body vibrating with pent-up anger and adrenaline. I have had the entire car ride to get more and more worked up.

Onyx follows closely behind me, locking the door. He moves into the kitchen, pouring a couple of drinks, one for himself, the other for me. To my disappointment, he hands me a glass of water. I take a sip then place it down on the coffee table when I see Jagger strolling into the room.

He looks half asleep in just some low-slung sweatpants, his hair going in every direction. I hope I woke him up. He must be tired as shit after last night. That’s what he gets for spending the night on the floor of my club, too drunk to move. “I take it the date didn’t go so well.” He checks his watch for the time.

My hands move to my hips to stop from finding anything around to throw at him, because right now, I want to hurt someone, and he might just be it. “It wasn’t a fucking date, and you know it. Thatasshole is demanding I work alongside him, he says he owns sixty percent of my club. We both know that can’t be true, you signed it over to me after you dealt with Syd.”

My brother moves closer to me cautiously, one hand resting on my shoulder as his eyes meet mine. “Sloane, we both know Syd was a slimy cunt. Who knows what kind of dodgy deals he had going with the Morettis, and any other fucker for that matter.”

“What I want to know is what you knew about this. Don’t use your words to manipulate me like you do every other dumb person around, Jagger Stryker, I know you too well. Tell me the damn truth, it’s what I deserve.”

He runs a hand through his hair, stress lines appearing on his forehead, and I know I’m not going to want to hear what he has to say. “Syd got into a bit of trouble with the Italian Morettis, and he was going to lose the club. Like they were about to burn the fucking place to the ground with him inside. Romeo’s papa and Syd were tight. He made him a deal to keep the place running, but it meant Syd had to sell him a larger share, so technically, the Morettis owned the club. After Syd was eliminated, nothing was ever said of the deal again, so we all assumed it was forgotten about. Not important enough for Romeo’s papa to try and claim his part. The club was a piece of shit no respectable businessman would want to admit being involved in.”

“Until I turned it around.”

He nods sadly. “Romeo contacted me last week and said he wanted to talk about what you had created. That was the first I knew he was even interested in making a claim. I swear, Sloane. I didn’t think this would come back on you.”

I shake my head, a fresh wave of anger coursing through me. “That’s just it, isn’t it. You never think, and it’s me who is left to clean up the shitstorm you all create for me.”

“I’m sorry, Sis, I know what that place means to you.” His voice, thick with unspoken grief, holds a heaviness that reflects the weight in my own heart, and I know this is killing him. He’s been my rock, always beside me, his unwavering support a constant presence all throughout my life. I have this club because of him. Despite being furious, I can’t shake the feeling that he would never have willingly assisted Romeo.

“Why didn’t you come to me last week, so I was prepared? You all let me go off with him last night, and you knew who he was and what he was trying to do.” I can’t admit to my brother how stupid I was, but I’m sure he can imagine.

His head drops and he stares at his feet. “He said he needed time to talk to you alone. I was hoping the two of you could work out an arrangement to make this all work. He’s a shrewd businessman worth millions. This is what he does.” He takes my hand in his, looking down at me. “Sloane, I’ve already contacted our lawyer. Their agreement was tight. There is nothing you or I can do about this. Romeo Moretti owns more than half of your business, and you will either have to sell him your share or work out how to get along and run that club with him. It’s a fucked-up mess, but there is nothing I can do this time.”

I pull my hair out of the ponytail it’s in and massage my scalp, not sure what to do next. “Fucking Syd is still screwing me over, even from the grave.”

“You knew that cunt wouldn’t just lie down and die.”

I glance back at my brother. We both hated the man equally. I’m sure it was him who killed him in the end, but no one has ever admitted as much to me.

“Romeo’s not so bad, Sloane, and he seems to genuinely have a hard-on for you. Use it to your advantage.”

I stop massaging my scalp and stare back at him in shock. Is he saying what I think he is? “All my life you have been the one out there protecting me, making sure the scum of the earth doesn’t come anywhere near your precious little sister, and now what, you think I should just pimp myself out to make this arrangement a smooth one? What the fuck, Jagger!”

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